The Criterion Collection

[P@t_Mtl]

Originally Posted by gill08

I don't know if anyone has posted this yet but there is news of a new possible Criterion blu-ray release in July. Down By Law Directed by Jim Jarmusch

Source: http://blog.criterioncast.com/post/2...sch-on-blu-ray

I haven't seen this film I may check it out.

Something funny about him and that's probably only myself who seen it that way but I have often confuse Jarmusch in many movies thinking it was Tom Waits. I am not sure why because when you really look at both they really don't look alike.

[rkish]

Originally Posted by P@t_Mtl

Something funny about him and that's probably only myself who seen it that way but I have often confuse Jarmusch in many movies thinking it was Tom Waits. I am not sure why because when you really look at both they really don't look alike.

I agree P@t...though I don't think it's any particular actor, but the way their acting is staged. Granted, you see his faves show up from film to film (Benigni, Lurie, Waits, etc.). Watch Coffee and Cigarettes, which is different from most of his films, but you know it's a Jarmusch film by the way it "feels".

I too await Down by Law and hope that Night on Earth follows shortly afterwards...

[rkish]

Well...it's a Holiday time for a lot of us...and I got to watch Scorses's Last Temptation this week for the first time. Worth the time and money to see it. For those of you wanting another relevant film...NetFlix just added Gibson's "The Passion" this past week and I'm watching that for the first time right now.

I'm a very privately religious individual, but open minded enough to appreciate these films!

Happy Holidays y'all!

[P@t_Mtl]

Originally Posted by rkish

Well...it's a Holiday time for a lot of us...and I got to watch Scorses's Last Temptation this week for the first time. Worth the time and money to see it. For those of you wanting another relevant film...NetFlix just added Gibson's "The Passion" this past week and I'm watching that for the first time right now.

I'm a very privately religious individual, but open minded enough to appreciate these films!

Happy Holidays y'all!

Two movies I now skip as I did not really enjoy both. For me to this day the best movie made about Jesus is Jesus Of Nazareth but that just my personal taste. The Last Temptation is a good movie and the idea behind it is also very good but after seeing it once I never really wanted to see it again. As for The passion, for me it's missing something. Yes the crucifixion is a part of His story and life but not the only part and I feel something is missing in that movie, the message of love is just missing for me. It's another one that seen it once, not unhappy to have seen it but really have no need to see it again.

[greekak229]

Originally Posted by P@t_Mtl

Two movies I now skip as I did not really enjoy both. For me to this day the best movie made about Jesus is Jesus Of Nazareth but that just my personal taste. The Last Temptation is a good movie and the idea behind it is also very good but after seeing it once I never really wanted to see it again. As for The passion, for me it's missing something. Yes the crucifixion is a part of His story and life but not the only part and I feel something is missing in that movie, the message of love is just missing for me. It's another one that seen it once, not unhappy to have seen it but really have no need to see it again.

The Gospel According to Matthew is pretty darn good as well.

[rkish]

Originally Posted by P@t_Mtl

Two movies I now skip as I did not really enjoy both. For me to this day the best movie made about Jesus is Jesus Of Nazareth but that just my personal taste. The Last Temptation is a good movie and the idea behind it is also very good but after seeing it once I never really wanted to see it again. As for The passion, for me it's missing something. Yes the crucifixion is a part of His story and life but not the only part and I feel something is missing in that movie, the message of love is just missing for me. It's another one that seen it once, not unhappy to have seen it but really have no need to see it again.

I wanted to wait until I saw most of The Passion and I have to agree with you. The Passion seems to lack passion. Raised as a Catholic, I still cringe when watching certain scenes...but

[Show spoiler]I think the torture scenes with the whipping were TOO long and drawn out. Why did we need to see Jesus beaten to a bloody mess?

I think Scorsese did a better job with a similar story, but made you care more about the characters in his film.

I wish I had a way to watch Jesus of Nazareth today, so that I could have a better referenece for comparison...

[drbikeshorts]

Originally Posted by rkish

I wanted to wait until I saw most of The Passion and I have to agree with you. The Passion seems to lack passion. Raised as a Catholic, I still cringe when watching certain scenes...but

[Show spoiler]I think the torture scenes with the whipping were TOO long and drawn out. Why did we need to see Jesus beaten to a bloody mess?

I think Scorsese did a better job with a similar story, but made you care more about the characters in his film.

I wish I had a way to watch Jesus of Nazareth today, so that I could have a better referenece for comparison...

I always believed that Mel Gibson wanted his audience to suffer with Christ through The Passion.
It's not enough to know that Jesus suffers for everyone's sins - the audience must know just how he suffered.
That's just an assumption - I've never actually read from Gibson about the film.

[P@t_Mtl]

Originally Posted by drbikeshorts

I always believed that Mel Gibson wanted his audience to suffer with Christ through The Passion.
It's not enough to know that Jesus suffers for everyone's sins - the audience must know just how he suffered.
That's just an assumption - I've never actually read from Gibson about the film.

I believe that's what he was going for yes. I think it either work or don't work depending on the person. Some like it and others just feel part of the message is just missing too much in the story, I don't think there is a "right or wrong" in it, just a different interpretation of it.

[rkish]

Originally Posted by drbikeshorts

I always believed that Mel Gibson wanted his audience to suffer with Christ through The Passion.
It's not enough to know that Jesus suffers for everyone's sins - the audience must know just how he suffered.
That's just an assumption - I've never actually read from Gibson about the film.

That's a very sound observation dr. I actually had to stop watching for a while, as it was getting a bit too much for me to watch. But I can see what you mean...

[DLizzle]

I've started watching The Last Temptation of Christ today for the first time, as a very non-religious person. I find a lot of it unintentionally (I think) ridiculous, and the rest is just uncomfortably creepy, which mirrors my feelings on religion exactly. I'm watching it in pieces since it's going to be a bit of a slog to get through I think, though it has generally kept my attention so far. In particular, the portrayal of Jesus as a thoroughly unlikable character (imo) is somewhat interesting.

[shadedpain4]

My wife and i watched Last Temptation last night. It was my first time seeing it. I'm surprised (based on the movie's content) that it caused the controversy it did, although less surprised considering what some my more conservative friends and family find offensive.

I thought it was a pretty good look at the struggle involved with the concept of a being that is both fully God and fully man.

[zeroman987]

Originally Posted by drbikeshorts

I always believed that Mel Gibson wanted his audience to suffer with Christ through The Passion.
It's not enough to know that Jesus suffers for everyone's sins - the audience must know just how he suffered.
That's just an assumption - I've never actually read from Gibson about the film.

I think both films attempt to call attention Christ's humanity rather than his divinity. I know that the Catholic Church firm believes that Christ was both human and divine (as opposed to other forms of christianity which may deny his humanity or those who do not believe in god which may deny his divinity). Gibson's film focuses squarely on the physical suffering that human can suffer; We are vulnerable creatures and it does not take that much to hurt us. I believe that this film devalues what I consider to be Christ's sacrifice. (as an outsider and non-believer who grew up Catholic). The way I see it, Christ suffered, but his suffering was not the physical pain that he endured but rather it was giving up his life, his human side.

I think that my philosophy tracks the Last Temptation of Christ. The Last Temptation of Christ attempts to explore what makes us human in order to show why Christ's sacrifice was so great. What is a greater sacrifice than denying half of your being? Half of who you are? Physical suffering is transitory, denial of self is permanent and that is why I believe that the Last Temptation of Christ is more powerful of a film.

As a postscript:

I think that the controversial scenes (where Christ calls himself a sinner, for example) are taken out of context and sadly misunderstood. As I understand it, Christ was not saying that he sinned, rather I took it to mean that he was not living up to the impossibly high standards he set for himself. I think this interpretation necessarily requires one to believe that the world is not back and white and that if there is a real objective truth, no one person can discern it, even Christ; 3 different people see 3 different things happening at the exact same time and place and only 1 of them believes a wrong has been committed.

[Hawkguy]

Originally Posted by DLizzle

I've started watching The Last Temptation of Christ today for the first time, as a very non-religious person. I find a lot of it unintentionally (I think) ridiculous, and the rest is just uncomfortably creepy, which mirrors my feelings on religion exactly. I'm watching it in pieces since it's going to be a bit of a slog to get through I think, though it has generally kept my attention so far. In particular, the portrayal of Jesus as a thoroughly unlikable character (imo) is somewhat interesting.

I was in the same position last week when I first watched it, and I just couldn't get through it. It's my least favorite Criterion blind-buy, and I've blind-bought nearly all of them.

[DetroitSquirreL]

Originally Posted by DLizzle

I've started watching The Last Temptation of Christ today for the first time, as a very non-religious person. I find a lot of it unintentionally (I think) ridiculous, and the rest is just uncomfortably creepy, which mirrors my feelings on religion exactly. I'm watching it in pieces since it's going to be a bit of a slog to get through I think, though it has generally kept my attention so far. In particular, the portrayal of Jesus as a thoroughly unlikable character (imo) is somewhat interesting.

And you do know this isn't taken from the Bible per say so how can this be matched against the Bible. Its story using the character and the idea from the Bible. TBH this can't be compared as what the Bible is or isn't. Its using 'artist freedoms' NOT the scripture

[DetroitSquirreL]

Originally Posted by shadedpain4

My wife and i watched Last Temptation last night. It was my first time seeing it. I'm surprised (based on the movie's content) that it caused the controversy it did, although less surprised considering what some my more conservative friends and family find offensive.

I thought it was a pretty good look at the struggle involved with the concept of a being that is both fully God and fully man.

Just curious to how old you were when this came out

[rkish]

Originally Posted by DetroitSquirreL

Just curious to how old you were when this came out

That is definitely a factor...I know that neither of my parents would have embraced Last Temptation...and my mother died only a few years after it was released in theaters. I absolutely remember the Catholic Church being adamantly against it...

[jcs913]

Originally Posted by rkish

That is definitely a factor...I know that neither of my parents would have embraced Last Temptation...and my mother died only a few years after it was released in theaters. I absolutely remember the Catholic Church being adamantly against it...

I will chime in on my thoughts on this, as I saw the film theatrically with all the protesters walking the line outside the theater. I have also seen the film many times and it always brings up new questions.

The initial controversy on the movie was the fact that Christ had sex, plain and simple. This was what everyone was outraged about, as it was seen as sacrilege. The problem with these protestors is that many never understood what was going on in the film and through Scorsese's head in all the other scenes. Jesus was portrayed more as a man, rather than a prophet and people have figured that out over the years. Personally, I think it is one of the more interesting pieces of art ever made. IMO, it was one of those rare events that questions what billions have believed for many years and that is something you cannot recreate without looking like a copycat.

As usual, to each his own, but if you are going to embrace art, you need to see this film and draw your own conclusions...

[shadedpain4]

Originally Posted by DetroitSquirreL

Just curious to how old you were when this came out

DS, i would have been 12 or 13 when it came out.

[rkish]

Originally Posted by jcs913

I will chime in on my thoughts on this, as I saw the film theatrically with all the protesters walking the line outside the theater. I have also seen the film many times and it always brings up new questions.

The initial controversy on the movie was the fact that Christ had sex, plain and simple. This was what everyone was outraged about, as it was seen as sacrilege. The problem with these protestors is that many never understood what was going on in the film and through Scorsese's head in all the other scenes. Jesus was portrayed more as a man, rather than a prophet and people have figured that out over the years. Personally, I think it is one of the more interesting pieces of art ever made. IMO, it was one of those rare events that questions what billions have believed for many years and that is something you cannot recreate without looking like a copycat.

As usual, to each his own, but if you are going to embrace art, you need to see this film and draw your own conclusions...

I agree with everything you've said here...I actually feel a lot worse for Jesus in this film, than I do in The Passion. He "walks away" from his responsibilities and feels badly about this and we feel for him. I just felt that Gibson needed to hit us over the head to make his point and the Scorsese adaptation of the book (not the Bible, where Gibson likely got his influence) is a much more subtle approach.

[jcs913]

Originally Posted by rkish

I agree with everything you've said here...I actually feel a lot worse for Jesus in this film, than I do in The Passion. He "walks away" from his responsibilities and feels badly about this and we feel for him. I just felt that Gibson needed to hit us over the head to make his point and the Scorsese adaptation of the book (not the Bible, where Gibson likely got his influence) is a much more subtle approach.

I think Gibson was influenced by his own faith and belief and not be any factual information. To me, his film is nothing more than his opinion and we know what that has done to him throughout the years...
Last Temptation, is just that, he was tempted by the devil and lost. Followers believe that he could never succumb to the devil, as he was God, and this interpretation shows that he does and is fallible. That is hard for many to swallow, but again, it is just an interpretation. I always think that the point of the film is that a question of what Jesus was should be more of the focus than what he did.... I think the Bible tends to push more of what he did on people than what he was, as people respond more to action than substance...

BTW Rich, I hope all is well and you have a great holiday.